Roblox is rolling out mandatory facial age verification for all users seeking access to chat and messaging features, marking one of the gaming industry's most aggressive child safety initiatives to date. The requirement takes effect globally in January 2025, following regulatory pressure and legal action across multiple jurisdictions.
The gaming platform, which hosts over 70 million daily active users, will begin phased enforcement in early December across Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands before expanding worldwide. Users can begin voluntary verification immediately to maintain uninterrupted chat access.
The verification process requires users to open the Roblox mobile app, grant camera permissions, and complete a facial scan through third-party identity provider Persona. Both Roblox and Persona have committed to deleting all biometric data immediately after processing, addressing potential privacy concerns from parents and advocacy groups.
Users will be sorted into six distinct age brackets: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, and 21-plus. Communication will be restricted to age-appropriate groups, with minors unable to message adults outside their designated range.
The policy shift represents a fundamental change in how social gaming platforms approach child safety and digital identity verification. Traditional age gates relied on self-reported birth dates, which child safety experts have long criticized as inadequate.
"Requiring biometric age estimation before enabling any communication features sets a new industry benchmark," noted Matt Kaufman, Roblox's chief safety officer. "This moves beyond honor-system age reporting to verified identity architecture."
The changes follow lawsuits from Texas and Louisiana attorneys general citing inadequate protections against predatory behavior and explicit content exposure. Similar regulatory scrutiny has intensified across the European Union and United Kingdom, where lawmakers are crafting stricter online safety frameworks for platforms popular with minors.
Industry observers expect competing platforms like Fortnite Creative and Minecraft to face pressure to implement comparable safeguards as governments worldwide tighten enforcement of children's online privacy regulations.